Even though it was approved and signed into law in the Regular Session, SB 4, the bill outlawing 'Sanctuary Cities' is suddenly front and center in the Special Session that began on Tuesday, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.
State Sen. Jose Menendez (D-San Antonio) joined the Mexican American Legislative Caucus on the first day of the session to file a bill repealing key portions of SB 4, including all of the language that allows police officers to question a person about his or her immigration status.
"The proposed SB42 is our last chance to repeal a law from causing catastrophic effects on people's lives and promoting discrimination in multiple areas of our society," Menendez said in a statement. "It will allow police officers to do their job to serve and protect, and not be burdened with racial profiling or having to enforce federal immigration law."
The anti Sanctuary City law is also being challenged in federal court.At the same time, many business owners and managers, many of whom call themselves advocates of strong border security, said the anti Sanctuary City bill is causing them serious problems in finding workers.
They pointed to the fact that President Trump, the biggest closed-border advocate in America, signed an executive order this week allowing some 15,000 illegal immigrants to remain in the U.S., specifically so they can provide labor in the construction, food service, and tourism industries.
"Immigrants who are already here are not only fulfilling critical jobs, but they are also providing buying power and paying taxes," said Bob Cartwright of the Texas Association of Business.
He cited a study showing that illegal immigrants pay $1.6 billion in state and local taxes each year, and fund programs like Social Security which they cannot receive.
"Until there is an accessible process for unskilled workers to come to the United States legally, we cannot ignore the fact that there are many undocumented people here now working in unskilled jobs that would be unfilled otherwise."
State Rep. Rafael Anchia, who heads the MALC, said 'discriminatory' laws like SB 4 and the proposed 'Bathroom Bill' are a main reason why Texas has begun to fall in several different lists of states which are 'good for business' and which are seeing strong employment growth.
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